Devices for the straightening of bent parking meter posts



y 7, 1960 e. w. SPAYTH 2,936,809

DEVICES FOR THE STRAIGHTENING OF BENT PARKING METER POSTS Filed June 24, 1957 2,936,809 nnvrcns non 'rnn STRAIGHTENING on BENT PARKING METER-POSTS George William 's a ui, nuneuen, NJ.

Application June 24, 1957, Serial No.'667,544 V This devicerelates to improvements in methods and devices employed to straighten the posts on which parking meters or street 'signs are installed when such posts have been bent out of plumb by, accident.

The object and purpose of this invention is to provide a method of applying direct pressure at right angle to a post without the use, ofclamps.

This device is designed to be attached in an approximately horizontal position to a, post regardless; of the angle at which, such postis leaning.

This device when so attached, is in a position to permit the use of an ordinary automobile bumper jack with the base of said jack setting securely o'n-the sidewalk-or pavement in a position to exert a vertical and upward thrust at its maximum efiiciency when operated by hand.

The power from the jack is transmitted through an eccentric rotatable casting with a fixed number of angular pressure'surfaces, each such surface being at a different distance from the axis of the said rotatable casting and each such pressure surface when in use being at an exact right angle to the line of force, thus avoiding the wedging which would occur if an ordinary cam were employed in lieu of the said rotatable casting, which would apply the power at an angle to the line of force.

This device differs from the conventional pipe straightening apparatus because it applies direct pressure at a right angle to the pipe or post instead of a rolling action.

The gripping action of this device differs from a mechanical-clamp in that it is in a loose position untilforce is applied and immediately returns to such loose position as soon as the force is relaxed.

By means of the rotatable casting the distance between the two gripping shoes is adjustable over a wide range to conform with the horizontal transverse area of the post, which area varies with the angle at which the post is leaning.

The angle of the two gripping shoes can be altered over a wide range to conform to the angle at which the post is leaning without disturbing the approximately horizontal position of the device.

In the operation of this device the concrete base in which the post is anchored acts as a vise and this invention merely applies direct force at a right angle and at the proper place to push the bent post back to its original upright position.

The further objects and distinguishing features of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description of a present preferred embodiment thereof taken with the accompanying drawings, in which: 1

Figure 1 is a front view showing a preferred embodiment of the device of the invention as applied to the straightening of a parking meter post,

pressureover awider area to avoid crimping the post 16 under pressure or flattening it. These two gripping shoes 20 and 21 are held in place with lugs 22 and 23 as shown with the M 2,936,809 Patented May 17, 1960 'ice A 2. bers 11 approximately twd feet in length. Near one end of these parallel members 11, they are joined together by a fixed steel pin 12 under which the prong 13 of the automobile jack 14 can be engaged. At the opposite end of the two parallel members 11 is a' pair of holes, one in each member, through which a removable pin 15 is placed after the device 10 has been straddled about the bent meter post 16. In the middle section of the device 10, a fixed steel pin 17 .acts as the shaft about which the eccentric casting 18 can be'revolved for the purpose of bringing whichever of the'angular'surfaces 19 oftits circumference may be required to hold: the two gripping shoes 20 and 21 snugly about the post 16 that is to be straightened.

H The two gripping shoes 20 and 21 are placed in contact with the rounded surface, of the post 16 where th'ey'are held loosely in contact with the post at the same "angle as that at which the post 16 is leaning by revolving the eccentric casting 181until the proper pressure. surface 19 rests loosely againstthe gripping shoe 21, thepurpose of said gripping shoes 20 and 21 being to distribute the until they are pressed firmly against the post 16 application of power'from the jack 14. Y

I 'Ifthe bent post 16 is leaning at an acute angle it may; be'necessary to progressively bring intouse most or all of the various angular surfaces 19 of the circumference of the revolvable casting 18. First it will be necessary Figure 2 is a view partly in section taken along the to apply the force from the jack 14 through the angular surface 19 of the casting 18 that is closest to the axis of the casting 18 because of the greater distance between the two gripping shoes 20 and 21 caused by the fact that they are opposing each other horizontally through an angular section of the post 16 to be straightened. After the jack 14 is raised, thus throwing the straightening device 10 out of its ho'rizontal position, the jack 14 is lowered sutficiently to restore the device 10 to an approximately horizontal position again. The bent post 16, having been partially restored to its original upright position, thus permitting the gripping shoes 20 and 21 to be brought closer together, it is then necessary to revolve the casting 18 to bring into use an angular section 19 of its circumference that is at a greater distance from the axis of the casting 18, thus holding the gripping shoes 20 and 21 in a snug position and ready for the next application of force by use of the jack 14. This procedure may be repeated as often as necessary until the bent post 16 is V thereof, a first pressure shoe adapted to be slidably positio'ned between said tines to separate said straddled portion from said continuous member, said first shoe including a surface adapted to engage a side of said straddled portion and anoppositely disposed surface adapted to engage said continuous member, a pressure transmitting element mounted for rotation between said tines inwardly of said straddled portion, a second pressure shoe adapted to be slidably positioned between said tines to separate said straddled portion from said pressure transmitting element, said second shoe including a surface adapted to engage the opposite side of said straddled portion and a surface adapted to be engaged by said pressure transmitting element for transmittal of force theretd as the transverse force is applied to said lever, said pressure transmitting element having its periphery defined by a plurality of angularly disposed flat surfaces spaced at ditferent distances from'the center of rotation of said pressure transmitting element whereby said pressure transmitting element may be made to. engage said second shoe in a series of diiferent positional relations.

2. A device for applyinga bending force to a deformable elongated hollow work piece comprising a lever adapted to have a bending force applied to one end thereof, movement limiting means adjacent the other end of said lever; a first pressure member removably posi-- tioned between said work piece and said movement limit-' ing means to engage said movement limiting means and a first extended portion of the surface of said work piece, a second pressure member supported on said lever and removably positioned to engage a second extended portion of the surface of said work piece substantially o'pposed to said first extended surface portion, and a pressure transmitting element rotatably mounted on said lever and adapted to engage said second pressure member to transmit force to said second pressure member as the bending force is applied to'said lever, whereby said second pressure member is urged toward said work piece to engage it and said lever is urged in a direction to carry said first pressure member into engagement with said work piece, said pressure transmitting element having its periphery defined by a plurality of angularly disposed fiat surfaces, said surfaces spaced at difierent distances from the center of rotation of said rotatable member, whereby said pressure transmitting element may be made to engage said second pressure member in a series of different positional arrangements.

3. The device defined in claim 2 in which said other end of said lever is fo'rmed by a pair of substantially parallel bars laterally spaced to straddle said workpiece and said pressure members are positioned between said bar's. e Y t 4. The device defined inelaim 3 in which said bars support a pin in aligned holes therein, said pin positioned to limit the movement of said first pressure member away from said workpiece whenv a bending force is applied to said lever.

5. The device defined in claim 3 inwhich said pressure members have their workpiece engaging surfaces conformably shaped with the surface of said member to be bent engaged thereby and are provided with positioning lugs to maintain them in position on said lever prior to the application of the bending force.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany..,... July 26, 1954 

